The present application claims priority to Japanese Application No. P10-171683 filed Jun. 18, 1998, which application is incorporated herein by reference to the extent permitted by law.
The present invention relates to an installation structure for a panel-type display device and particularly to an installation structure for a panel-type display device which is placed in a recess or an opening of a wall.
The cathode-ray tube (CRT) has been the mainstream of conventional display devices. Being heavy and long in depth, the CRT has difficulty disposing it in a recess or an opening of a wall. That is, for display in public facilities or the like, a hole is formed in a wall and a television receiving set that is on the market and long in depth is fitted into the hole and fixed thereto. As such, as for the conventional CRT display device, there is no product of a television receiving set or a display set that is dedicated to hanging on or burying in a wall.
However, in recent years, large-size panel-type display devices such as the plasma display panel and the plasma-addressing liquid crystal display panel have been provided and the progress of the related technology is remarkable. Such display devices as the plasma display or the like that has been marketed so far are basically in a form of a stationary television monitor. And display devices of this type having, as an option, a metal fitting for fixing to a wall are provided.
FIG. 1A shows how a panel-type display device using a conventional fixing panel is fixed. A fixing metal fitting 2 is fixed to a wall surface 1 in advance by using screws 3 or the like. A panel-type display device 5 is hanged on hooks 4 that are provided at the corner portions of the fixing metal fitting 2. The panel-type display device 5 is connected to a separately provided tuner 6 via an image signal cable 7.
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. Hei. 7-336625 discloses an accommodation hanging mechanism for a wall-mounted television in which a signal unit is installed in a frame that is fixed to a recess of a wall, a display frame fixing frame is rotatably fixed to the above frame via a hinge, and a display panel is fixed to the display frame fixing frame.
Conventional installation structures of the above kind for a panel-type display device have a problem that a user cannot easily fix a display panel in a recess or an opening of a wall. Further, not equipped with a dedicated connection mechanism for connecting such a display panel to a power cable, a coaxial cable, or a cable television cable, they have a problem that an operation of making such a connection is very difficult.
The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the invention is therefore to provide an installation structure for a panel-type display device that allows the user to easily fix the display device in a recess or an opening of a wall, the panel-type display device having a use that is absent in the conventional CRT display device.
The invention provides an installation structure for a panel-type display device, comprising a fixing frame to be inserted in an approximately rectangular recess or opening that is formed in a wall, for accommodating a panel-type display device; and a pressing member to be fixed to the fixing frame from the outside of the fixing frame, for fastening the panel-type display device.
The fixing frame may have a flange for covering a portion of the frame around the approximately rectangular recess or opening. The fixing frame may have terminals to be connected to a power line and a signal line that are wired inside the wall. The fixing frame may have, on its front side, an air inlet and an air outlet for ventilation of the space inside the fixing frame. The pressing member may be a frame-like pressing cover for pressing a peripheral portion of the panel-type display device. Further, the pressing member may be pressing plates for pressing peripheral portions of the panel-type display device that extend along two opposed sidelines of the panel-type display device.
According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided an installation structure for a panel-type display device, comprising a fixing frame to be inserted in an approximately rectangular recess or opening that is formed in a wall; and a pressing member for pressing a device placed in the fixing frame from the outside against the fixing frame, wherein a panel-type display device or a decorative article such as a painting is to be placed in the fixing frame selectively.
A preferred embodiment of the invention is directed to an installation structure for fixing a panel-type display device such as a plasma display panel or a plasma-addressing liquid crystal display panel to a recess or opening of a wall. In particular, a rectangular recess or opening is formed in a wall in advance in building construction work, and a bushing-type fixing frame is inserted in such a recess or opening instead of directly fixing a panel-type display device to it. By providing the bushing-type fixing frame with a flange that covers the recess or opening of the wall, the size of the recess or opening can be formed roughly, that is, with low accuracy.
The fixing frame may be provided with terminals that are to be connected to a power cable, a signal cable, etc. and a power cable and a signal cable may be connected to those terminals in advance at the time of work of fixing the fixing frame. In this case, when the panel-type display device is fixed to or removed from the fixing frame, the time and labor for the connection or removal of a power cable and a signal cable can be eliminated. By fixing the above-described fixing frame in advance to a wall of an apartment or the like, the user can purchase a wall-mounted panel-type display device any time and fix it to the wall by himself. Where the user does not want to fix a wall-mounted display device, he may insert a decorative article such as a painting in the above-described fixing frame and press it with a cover.
As for the panel-type display device to be fixed by means of the fixing frame, its external dimensions and power connection portion and signal connection portion may be adapted to the fixing frame and several models may be prepared having different screen sizes and numbers of scanning lines. This allows the user to select a panel-type display device in accordance with his purpose and taste. Further, by forming an air inlet and an air outlet on the front side of the fixing frame, it becomes unnecessary to install, in a wall, a ventilation device for cooling the panel-type display device.
If handles are attached to the panel-type display device to be fixed by means of the fixing frame, the panel-type display device can easily be fixed to or removed from the fixing frame. A pressing member provided on the front side of the fixing frame to press the panel-type display device can prevent a fall of the panel-type display device.
With the above-described installation structure for a panel-type display device, the panel-type display device can be used as a new form of visual telephone or the like as well as a television receiver. By changing the design of the pressing member for pressing the panel-type display device that is fixed to the fixing frame in accordance with the user""s taste, display can be provided having a design that matches the room.